Thursday, February 24, 2011

Lincoln Park Gateway Restored

I recently joined longtime Lincoln Heights residents to celebrate the restoration of a historical landmark--the Lincoln Park Gateway. This park is the original site of the Los Angeles Zoo. The gateway, built in an early Art Deco style in 1931, features four major pylons, each with an electric lantern. There are terracotta tile benches, a terracotta drinking fountain and a main ornamental fountain with water spout. I have fond memories from my childhood at this very site. I hope you and your family enjoy the restored Lincoln Park Gateway and create your own memories too.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Reyes Rolls With EPA, Bike Leaders at MacArthur Park

It's a beautiful day for a bicycle ride in L.A!

Today, I joined bicyclists who stopped at MacArthur Park during their Playa del Rey to Downtown L.A. Bike Tour. The 18-mile ride was led by officials from the City's Planning Commission, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Los Angeles County Bike Coalition(LACBC) and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

"The event is designed to help bicyclists learn how to navigate downtown safely, while enjoying a sunny bike tour of our great City," said Reyes. "The event also supports ongoing bicycle projects, including a bike lane on 7th Street in downtown. This will incorporate a "road diet" where we reduce the vehicle travel lanes from two in each direction, to one in each direction. Bike enthusiasts can also look forward to added bike paths along the L.A. River."

In addition to MacArthur Park, the bike tour also included stops in Culver City, the County Cycling Collaborative(1250 6th St.)and Los Angeles City Hall. The ride was led by Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest, joined by Mitch Katz, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, Director, of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Jennifer Klausner, Executive Director LACBC, Barbara Romero, City of LA Planning Commissioner and Chief of Urban Projects and Watershed

Division for the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority."In Los Angeles, biking is not only good exercise and great fun, but is also a viable form of transportation for commuting to work or running errands," Blumenfeld said. "EPA, the Los Angeles County Departments of Public Health and Health Services, and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, want to make the City and County of L.A. more bicycle-friendly by making every street safer for bike riders of all ages."

Klausner said: "We’re excited to partner with the EPA for the Playa to Downtown Ride to highlight the great work being done around L.A. County and in the City of Los Angeles to improve the bicycle environment. Bicycling can solve so many of the issues we face in our communities from environmental air quality and public health concerns to creating more livable communities with vibrant local economies.”